Dr. Kayla Anderson, senior advisor for mental health and adverse childhood experiences in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, shares how the CDC’s new Mental Health Data Channel streamlines access to essential data and resources that often become siloed by different sources; Dr. Scott Rivkees, dean of education at the School of Public Health at Brown University...
Dr. Kayla Anderson, senior advisor for mental health and adverse childhood experiences in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, shares how the CDC’s new Mental Health Data Channel streamlines access to essential data and resources that often become siloed by different sources; Dr. Scott Rivkees, dean of education at the School of Public Health at Brown University, talks about his goals for public health students, current challenges in the field, and the importance of organizations like ASTHO; ASTHO will hold a webinar with PHIG National Partners today, Tuesday, August 26, focused on Wave 2 of the Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program; and ASTHO welcomes new ASTHO member Ashley Newmyer, interim director for the Division of Public Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
CDC: Mental Health Data Channel
Brown University: Scott Rivkees
ASTHO Webinar: Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program
JANSON SILVERS:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, August 26, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
KAYLA ANDERSON:
We developed this resource to create a one-stop shop for CDC's mental health data and resources so that we can all take action together to improve the nation's health.
SILVERS:
The CDC recently launched a new mental health data channel to improve access to essential information that often becomes siloed by different data sources. Dr. Kayla Anderson, with the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, explains how the new resource can help researchers, providers, and the public understand the data.
ANDERSON:
We created the Mental Health Data channel as a first-of-its-kind, platform that integrates CDC data from national and state data sources on mental health and well-being among kids and adults into one easy-to-use place.
SILVERS:
In addition to organizing data, the resource also pulls together evidence-based resources to promote mental health.
ANDERSON:
The Data Channel connects visitors to data and resources to improve mental health through community-based strategies. These strategies aim to prevent distress and mental health conditions before they occur.
SILVERS:
Anderson encourages public health leaders to share any feedback they have on the channel.
ANDERSON:
We'd also love to hear from jurisdictions about resources and data that they still need, because together, we know that in partnership, we can improve population well-being.
SILVERS:
You can check out the Mental Health Data Channel by clicking on the link in the show notes.
ASTHO's Executive Leadership Forum brought together state and territorial health leaders from across the country to work together on some of public health's biggest challenges. At the conference, Dr. Scott Rivkees, Florida's former state Surgeon General, updated us on his current role. Rivkees is now the dean of education at Brown University's School of Public Health, and shares some of his goals as he educates the future public health workforce.
SCOTT RIVKEES:
So, one of the things I'm trying to focus on with our students is understand the intersection between public health and public policy to make sure that we get the best policies in place to keep us all safe and healthy.
SILVERS:
One public health priority Rivkees points to: vaccination.
RIVKEES:
One of the major pillars in public health that we're all worrying about right now is, how do we keep children safe and healthy through vaccination? And right now, we're starting to see a really, a major shift away from a lot of the very core public health principles and tenants that have kept us safe and healthy for decades.
SILVERS:
Rivkees says being a part of a community like ASTHO is important during challenging times.
RIVKEES:
The more that we can learn from each other, the more we can take home the messages back to those under our watchful eye and the people that we work with, the stronger we are going to be.
SILVERS:
You can learn more about Rivkees' role as an educator by clicking the link in the show notes.
Happening today, Tuesday, August 26 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, join the PHIG National Partners for a webinar introducing Wave 2 of the Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program. The session will walk through key program details, including the timeline, eligibility criteria, application process, and more. To register for the event, head to the link in the show notes.
Finally, congratulations and welcome to new ASTHO member, Ashley Newmyer, interim director of the Division of Public Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Newmyer previously served as the department's chief data strategist, and is dedicated to fostering innovation and continuous improvement across Nebraska's public health landscape.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Janson Silvers. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
Kayla Anderson PhD
Senior Advisor, Mental Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC